Portable bath-cabinet



No. 6l8,968. Patented Feb. 7, I899. B. C. WILLIAMS.

PORTABLE BATH CABINET.

(Application filed Apr. 12,1898.)

(No Model.)

Wihyzsszs UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

BETTIE C. WVILLIAMS, OF DEER LODGE, MONTANA.

PORTABLE BATH-CABIN ET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,968, dated February'7, 1899.

Application filed April 12, 1898. Serial No. 677,315. (No model.)

for taking a hot-air or vapor bath; and the object that I have in viewis to provide a simple, durable, and cheap construction which may beeasily and readily set up for service, capable of being folded within avery small compass, and self-sustaining when adjusted for use,notwithstanding its collapsible and foldable construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved neckbandwhich is adapted to be contracted or drawn closely around the neck ofthe user and is'readily detachable from the cabinet for the purpose ofcleansing the same.

With these ends in view the invention consists of a portable andcollapsible cabinet, comprising a pliable envelop or covering of propershape and dimensions to accommodate the user,- and a sectional frame theparts of which are disconnected one from the other and are readilyremovable from the cabinet, such frame serving to stiffen the envelopand render the cabinet self-supporting, and certain or all of themembers of said frame being readily foldable to render the cabinetcollapsible within an exceedingly small compass.

The invention further consists in the novel construction and arrangementof parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understandmy invention, I have illustrated thepreferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a portable bath-cabinet constructed in accordance .with my invention:Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view on the plane indicated by thedotted line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectionalview on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isan enlarged detail perspective view illustrating the means for closingthe open end of one of the rod-receiving sheaths. Fig. 5 is a detailfragmentary view illustrating the joint between adjacent bars or rods.

Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in eachof the several figures of the drawings.

. In carrying my invention into practice I first construct a pliableenvelop or covering top are joined together the roof or top will slopefrom the back toward the front, substantially as represented by thedrawings, although it will be understood that the precise shape of thecabinet 'is not material. In connection with this fabric envelop orcovering I employ a sectional frame which serves to stiffen andreinforce the envelop, so as to render it self-sustaining when set upfor use, and the fabric-sections of the envelop or covering areconstructed to receive the rods or members of said sectional frame. Tothis end the envelop is provided at its upper end with the longitudinalsheaths 5 and 6 and with the transverse sheaths 7 and 8, saidlongitudinal sheaths 5 6 being provided at or near the line where theroof joins with the side walls, while the transverse sheaths 7 8 areformed at the juncture of the roof with the end walls. At the bottom ofthe cabinet the side walls thereof are turned or folded upon themselvesto form the longitudinal bottom sheaths 9, while in like manner the endwalls are provided with the transverse lower sheaths 10, the edge of thefabric being folded along the bottom edges of the side and end walls andstitched upon itself or otherwise united to produce said sheaths 9 and10. The sheaths 5 to 8, inclusive, at the upper edge of the envelop maybe produced by extending one edge of the roof over the side and endwalls, or, vice versa, by extending the side and end walls At thecorners or angles of the envelop or covering are provided the verticalsheaths 11 and 12, the first mentioned sheaths 11 being formed at thefront end of the cabinet, where the front wall joins the side walls,while the vertical sheaths 12 are situated at the rear of the cabinet,where the back wall joins said side walls. These vertical sheaths areformed by suitable pieces of fabric which are united to the severalwalls of the envelop; but each fabric sheath does not terminate at theroof of the cabinet. The sheath at each corner of the envelop exceeds inlength the height of the wall or walls to which it is joined, therebyforming at the upper end of theenvelop an extended flap 13, which isfoldable over the joint between the longitudinaland transverse sheathsat the upper end of the envelop and is adapted to be secured or confinedby a suitable fastener attached to the roof or top of said envelop. Thisflap 13 forms an extension of the sheath to inclose the meeting ends ofone transverse sheath and a longitudinal sheath for the purpose ofpreventing the bar or member of the frame from having endwise movementor displacement accidentally in the sheath and obviating any tendency ofthe envelop to collapse when the structure is in use. The fastener foreach flap 13 may be of any suitable construction, and as one examplethereof I have illustrated such fastener 1 L as consisting of theordinary hook and eye; but it will be evident that various differentstyles of fasteners may be used in lieu of the one shown.

The frame which I employ to hold the pliable envelop in its distended orunfolded position against collapsing or folding about the person whentaking a hot-air or Vapor bat-h consists of a series of rods or memberswhich are fitted in the several sheaths of the pliable envelop and areadapted to stiffen said envelop against its pliable walls or top foldingtogether when in use. In the sheaths 5 and 6 are inserted thelongitudinal upper rods or members 15 16 of said collapsible frame, inthe sheaths 7 and 8 are thrust the transverse upper rods or framemembers 17 18, and in the bottom sheaths 9 and 10 are housed thelongitudinal and transverse lower rods or frame members 19 and 20. Thevertical sheaths 11 and 12 at the four corners of the envelop arereinforced or stiffened by the 1 For ordinary service it is sufficientto make the transverse rods at the top and bottom of the end walls 3 3removable, so that the end walls and the roof may collapse or foldlongitudinally with a View to allowing the side walls to be foldedinwardly toward each other, thus materially reducing the compass orfloor area of the envelop or covering and allowing the cabinet to assumea compactlyfolded condition,which-renders it Well adapted for standingin a closet or storage in a narrow space. To the attainment of this endI contemplate making the vertical rods 21 and the longitudinal rods 15,16, and 19 a permanent part of the pliable envelop or cover. Hence thelongitudinal sheaths at the :top and bottom of the cabinet are closed attheir ends to securely confine the longitudinal rods or frame memberswithin said sheaths; but to provide for the insertion or withdrawal ofthe transverse rods or frame .members 17, 18, and 20 the ends of thetransjverse sheaths '7, 8, and 10 are left open. The transverse rods orframe members may be fasteners 14 to the roof of the envelop. Saidtransverse rods are prevented from accidental withdrawal by the flaps atthe upper corners of the envelop, and, if desired, the transversesheaths 10 at the lower edges of the envelop may be provided withfoldable flaps similar to the flaps 13.

In the sloping top or root 4t of the envelop at a suitable point thereinis cut or otherwise formed a head or neck opening 22, around which isarranged a detachable and collapsible neckband 23. This neckband is of asecured detachably in place to the top or roof by turning out one edgethereof, as at 24,

vand stitching, basting, or otherwise fastening said edge 24: to theroof or top. The collapsible neckband is hemmed and stitched .to receivea draw-string 25, which may be pulled to contract said neckband aroundthe neck of the user and reduce to a minimum the escape of hot air orvapor from the cabinet.

To provide for ready handling of the cabinet and its suspension when notin use, the loops 26 are attached in a suitable way to the side walls ofthe roof of the envelop or covering 1.

In adjusting my cabinet for service the transverse rods or frame membersare thrust into the transverse sheaths at the upperand lower end edgesof the envelop and the flaps are closed over the open ends of saidsheaths to be engaged with the fasteners 14. The ends of the severalbars or members of the frame abut, practically, against one another toprevent the envelop from tilting over sidewise, and said rods serve toobviate any tendency of the fabricto fold or collapse. The cabinet islifted up and the user thrusts the head through the opening and thecollapsible neckband, after which the draw-string should be tightenedaround the neck, so that a person is able to take a hot-air or vaporbath in a sitting posture. Previous to storing the cabinet away thetransverse rods are withdrawn from the sheaths and the end walls androof are folded inwardly, so that the sides may be compactly closedtogether and bring the loops 26 adjacent to each other for fitting overa suitable suspending device.

As shown by the drawings, I prefer to make the neckband so that itslopes from the rear toward the front, thus making the neckband fitclosely around the neck.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I' have shown a means by which the stiffeningrods or bars at the top or bottom edges of the envelop may be joinedtogether, particularly when the rods are made of wood. In thisconstruction the ends of the horizontal sheaths at the top and bottom ofthe envelop should be left open and the rods or bars are united orcoupled detachably together by suitable interlocking devices-as, forexample, by a hook 28, fastened to one end of the rod 7, and an eye 29,attached to the adjacent end of the rod 6. It will be understood thatthe contiguous ends of each pair of rods or bars are similarly unitedtogether by interlocking devices which contribute to the stability ofthe structure and obviate a tendency of the envelop to collapse. v

It is evident that changes in the form and proportion of parts may bemade by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit orsacrificing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A collapsiblebath-cabinet comprising a pliable covering or envelop having the rodreceiving sheaths certain of which are open at their ends, a sectionalframe the members of which are disconnected one from the other and areinclosed within said sheaths of the envelop, and the flaps arranged toclose the open ends of the sheaths and provided with detachablefastenings, for the purposes described, substantially as set forth.

2. A portable and collapsible bath-cabinet comprising a pliable envelopprovided at its corners with vertical sheaths and at its edges with thelongitudinal and transverse horizontal sheaths, and the stiffening-framehaving its parts or members housed or contained within the severalsheaths and with their ends at the corners of the envelop contiguous oneto the other, the transverse members of said frame being withdrawablefrom the transverse sheaths at the upper and lower edges of the cabinet,whereby the vertical and longitudinal frame members may remain attachedto the envelop and the latter collapsed or folded together along itsmiddle, substantially as described.

3. A portable and collapsible bath-cabinet comprising a pliable envelopclosed on all sides thereof and having the sloping top with theneck-opening therein and also provided with the sheaths at the cornersand edges thereof, the collapsible and separate neckband uniteddetachably to the envelop-top around the edges of the opening thereinand having a draw-string by which said band may BETTIE C. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

MATTIE G. H. SOHARNIKOW, ED. SCHARNIKOW.

